This is a 1973 Chevrolet K5 Blazer that has been given a complete rebuild, and a series of major upgrades including the fitment of a Ramjet fuel-injected 350 V8, four-wheel Wilwood disc brakes, lifted suspension, Bilstein shock absorbers, and much more.
Vintage four-wheel drives were more of a niche interest for many years, however more recently they have well and truly gone mainstream, and good examples can now fetch well into the six figures. Restomod 4x4s like this Blazer have become a major industry unto themselves.
Fast Facts – The Chevrolet K5 Blazer
- This is a fully rebuilt 1973 Chevrolet K5 Blazer, comprehensively upgraded with modern features including a Ramjet fuel-injected 350 V8 engine producing 350 bhp, Wilwood disc brakes, and Bilstein suspension. It retains its original GM body panels and includes a removable white roof.
- The K5 Blazer, introduced in 1969, revolutionized the 4×4 market by utilizing a full-size truck platform, distinguishing it from competitors like the International Scout and Ford Bronco which were both notably smaller. This strategic decision proved successful, prompting competitors to follow suit with larger models in later generations.
- The second generation K5 Blazer, introduced in 1973, enjoyed an exceptionally long production run until 1991. The platform-sharing arrangement with GM’s pickup truck line ensured low development costs and extensive parts compatibility.
- It incorporates numerous performance upgrades, including rebuilt 3.73 axles, a 700R4 overdrive transmission, and BF Goodrich All-terrain tires on all four corners. The interior has bucket seats, a center console with a lockbox, and blue carpeting complementing its white and blue exterior.
The Chevrolet K5 Blazer Changed Everything
The K5 Blazer was released in 1969 as the GM answer to the International Scout and Ford Bronco. Unlike its two key competitors, the Blazer was built on a full-size track platform, making it significantly larger. It quickly became a best-seller, and both the Scout and Bronco were reengineered to be full-sized to help them catch up.
The Blazer was based on the full-sized Chevrolet pickup trucks of the era, and it quickly set a trend for full-size SUVs that Ford and International followed. Image courtesy of General Motors.
The reason for this size difference was that the Scout and Bronco had been developed to compete with the earlier Jeep CJ series, a smaller-sized 4×4 that descended from the WWII-era Willys Jeep. In the early 1960s the domestic market for 4×4 leisure vehicles was exceedingly small, but by the end of the decade it would be a major new market segment, and every major manufacturer wanted a piece of the action.
Although General Motors had been a little late to the game, they would fundamentally transform it by gambling on the fact that Americans tend to (mostly) fall into the bigger-is-better mindset. The Chevrolet K5 Blazer would be released alongside the almost identical General Motors Jimmy, and both would be based on a shortened chassis of the already-in-production line of GM/Chevrolet pickup trucks.
This platform sharing arrangement meant that the development costs of the Blazer were relatively low, and the parts compatibility was extensive. It also shared the same front-end styling as the GM/Chevrolet pickup trucks, and so it was immediately recognizable to most Americans.
The first-generation K5 Blazer would be sold from 1969 until 1972, the Chevrolet pickup truck line was then updated significantly and the Blazer would follow suit, resulting in the second generation model. This second-gen Blazer would enjoy a remarkably long production life, stretching from 1973 until 1991.
Today, most collectors seek out the first and early second-gen versions, and there is a major subset of the vintage 4×4 market completely dedicated to the model line.
When the Blazer was first released in the late 1960s, the concept of leisure off-roading was still relatively new, certainly to the mainstream American consumer. So many advertisements played up the vehicle’s other attributes. Image courtesy of General Motors.
The 1973 Chevrolet K5 Blazer Shown Here
The 1973 Chevrolet K5 Blazer you see here is from the first year that the second-gen model was released. This example has been completely rebuilt and is now finished in a two-tone White over Blue with a Dark Tan interior and Blue carpeting.
It has two bucket seats up front with a center console that has a lockbox and two cup holders. It also has a rear bench seat, a white tubular steel roll bar, and a removable White roof that is included in the sale.
This Blazer has lifted leaf spring suspension on all four corners, paired with Bilstein shock absorbers, and it has four-wheel Wilwood brakes – a significant improvement over the original front disc/rear drum arrangement.
It now rides on New Wheel Vintiques 10-inch wide steelie wheels fitted with BF Goodrich All terrain KO2 tires. It also has rebuilt 3.73 axles, Timken bearings and seals, Superwinch hubs, stainless steel brake lines, and a Flowmaster true dual exhaust system.
Power is provided by a GM Performance Ramjet fuel-injected 350 cubic inch V8 offering 350 bhp at 5,200 rpm and 400 lb ft of torque at 3,500 rpm. This is mated to a rebuilt and upgraded 700R4 overdrive transmission and an NP205 transfer case.
This Blazer is now powered by a GM Performance Ramjet fuel-injected 350 cubic inch V8 offering 350 bhp at 5,200 rpm and 400 lb ft of torque at 3,500 rpm
Power is sent out to rebuilt 3.73 axles front and back, and it has a steering camper fitted. The listing notes that the vehicle has its original GM body panels, and the floor boards were finished in GM red oxide-tinted U-Pol Raptor liner to protect the underside from off-road activities.
The vehicle is now due to roll across the auction block with Mecum on the 22nd of March and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid.
Images courtesy of Mecum + General Motors
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